OCHEMICAL, MEDICAL AND DIETICAL PROPERTIES. 2*J 



While some physicians have praised its value as an article 

 of food, on account of the large proportion of nitrogen 

 which it contains, others have as strenuously maintained 

 that it is non-nutritious, and does not serve as a substi- 

 tute for food, and that the only beneficial properties it 

 contains are due to the milk and sugar added in its use. 

 So that in considering the nourishing effects of tea, the 

 nutriment contained in the milk and sugar certainly must 

 not be overlooked, neither must the powerful influence 

 of the heat of the steaming draught be forgotten. Ac- 

 cording to the chemical classification of food, the " flesh 

 formers" contained in tea of average quality is about 18, 

 and the " heat givers " 72 per cent, water and " mineral 

 matter " being divided between the residue, the several 

 constituents as they are found in one pound of good tea 

 being as follows : 



Constituents. Quantities in one pound of good Tea. 



oz grs. 



Theine, ..... ..... o. 210 



Caseine, .......... 2. 175 



Volatile Oil, ..... .... o. 52 



Fat ........ ..... o, 280 



Gum, ......... , . 2, 385 



Sugar, ...... ..... o. 211 



Fibre, ..... ,,.,.. 3. 87 



Tannin, . . . * , ..... 4. 87 



Water, ..... , ..... o. 350 



Mineral, ..... , . , , . o. 350 



Total, ....,.,... 1 5 oz. 267 grs. 



The use of theine as an article of diet has not so far 

 been satisfactorily determined ; but that it is a question 

 of no mean interest is obvious when we consider that it 

 is found to exist in so many plants, differing widely in 



